Four Physician Assistant Studies students from the UT Health Science Center’s Regional Campus in Laredo received scholarships from the South Texas Outreach Foundation. Shown are (front row, left to right) Jennifer LaFleur, Gladys Keene, M.D., M.P.H., (regional dean of the Regional Campus), and Carolina Juarez; (second row) Christina Deluhery and Michael Wirsching.
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Contact: Rosanne Fohn, 210-567-3079

LAREDO (Feb. 11, 2011) — The South Texas Outreach Foundation of Laredo recently presented a gift of $60,000 to the UT Health Science Center San Antonio. The funds will be used at the Regional Campus in Laredo, and follow an initial gift of $50,000 in 2009.

The new funds will continue the various programs and scholarships in the university’s School of Health Professions initiated with the 2009 gift. This includes support for four students in the Physician Assistant Studies program and matching funds for South Texas Academic Rising Stars scholarships.

Scholarship recipients
The current physician assistant scholarship recipients are Jennifer LaFleur, Christina Deluhery, Carolina Juarez and Michael Wirsching. (See related story on Jennifer LaFleur.)

Related link: Student overcomes long odds to fulfill her dream

The South Texas Outreach Foundation award will continue a summer program for college students begun in summer 2010 called Make It Real Academy (MIRA), as well as funding a number of billboards promoting the Health Science Center’s programs in Laredo.

“We are proud to support the UT Health Science Center in its efforts to make health care education accessible to Laredo students and affordable for their families,” STRF representatives said.

Make It Real Academy
Last year’s summer program, MIRA, provided an in-depth look at the health professions for 13 Laredo-area college students who were selected through a competitive application process. For nine days in August, the students participated in hands-on activities, field trips, behind-the-scenes activities and interviews with local health professionals to learn why they decided to pursue higher education and chose to become heal care providers.

“The South Texas Outreach Foundation is very interested in student development and pipeline programs, with the ultimate goal of building a local health care workforce to address community needs,” added Gloria Canseco, director of development for the School of Health Professions.

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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, one of the country’s leading health sciences universities, ranks in the top 3 percent of all institutions worldwide receiving U.S. federal funding. Research and other sponsored program activity totaled $228 million in fiscal year 2010. The university’s schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions and graduate biomedical sciences have produced approximately 26,000 graduates. The $744 million operating budget supports eight campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. For more information on the many ways “We make lives better®,” visit www.uthscsa.edu.